Flash Gordon (1980)
Max von Sydow: The Emperor Ming
Photos
Quotes
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Zogi, the High Priest : Do you - Ming the Merciless, Ruler of the Universe - take this Earthling, Dale Arden, to be your Empress of the Hour?
The Emperor Ming : Of the hour, yes.
Zogi, the High Priest : Do you promise to use her as you will?
The Emperor Ming : Certainly!
Zogi, the High Priest : Not to blast her into space?
[Ming glares at Zogi]
Zogi, the High Priest : Uhm, until such time as you grow weary of her?
The Emperor Ming : I do.
Dale Arden : [DELETED LINE] You just try that, buster, and I'll give you SUCH A PINCH!
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The Emperor Ming : Klytus! Are your men on the right pills? Maybe you should execute their trainer!
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The Emperor Ming : Every thousand years, I test each life system in the Universe. I visit it with mysteries, earthquakes, unpredicted eclipses, strange craters in the wilderness... If these are taken as natural, I judge that system ignorant and harmless - I spare it. But if the Hand of Ming is recognized in these events, I judge that system dangerous to us. I call upon the great god Dyzan, and for his greater glory...
[leans forward, smiling]
The Emperor Ming : ... and for our mutual pleasure...
[leans back again]
The Emperor Ming : ... I destroy it utterly.
Doctor Hans Zarkov : You're saying... it's my fault the Earth is being destroyed?
The Emperor Ming : [grinning] Precisely... Doctor!
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Princess Aura : Look! Water is leaking from her eyes.
The Emperor Ming : It's what they call tears, it's a sign of their weakness.
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Dr. Hans Zarkov : We are only interested in friendship. Why do you attack us?
The Emperor Ming : Why not? Pathetic earthlings. Hurling your bodies out into the void, without the slightest inkling of who or what is out here. If you had known anything about the true nature of the universe, anything at all, you would've hidden from it in terror.
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[first lines]
The Emperor Ming : Klytus, I'm bored. What plaything can you offer me today?
Klytus : An obscure body in the S-K System, Your Majesty. The inhabitants refer to it as the planet... "Earth".
The Emperor Ming : How peaceful it looks.
[He activates a console, and watches as earthquakes, floods, etc. start to occur. They both get a good laugh out of it]
Klytus : Most effective, Your Majesty! Will you destroy this, er, Earth?
The Emperor Ming : Later. I like to play with things a while... before annihilation.
[laughs evilly]
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Flash Gordon : This Ming is a psycho!
Ming's Floating Servant : This Ming is a psycho.
Klytus : Who said that?
Ming's Floating Servant : The fair-haired prisoner.
Klytus : Who are you?
Flash Gordon : Flash Gordon. Quarterback. New York Jets.
Dale Arden : Dale Arden, Your Highness. Live and let live, that's my motto.
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Princess Aura : l'm a princess. My father will have your head for this. He'll execute your whole perverted secret police. l demand to see him!
Klytus : With pleasure.
[Ming appears]
Princess Aura : Father.
Klytus : The traitor is close to confession, Your Majesty. Should we stop the torture?
The Emperor Ming : No.
Princess Aura : Father! Damn you, Father!
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Ming's Floating Servant : Long live Flash! You've saved your Earth. Have a nice day.
Flash Gordon : [leaps into the air] Yeah!
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[Flash is using football moves to fight Ming's soldiers]
The Emperor Ming : Klytus! What is he doing?
Klytus : I don't know, sir! It looks like some kind of barbaric sport!
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The Emperor Ming : I'd much rather see you on my side, than scattered into... atoms.
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Flash Gordon : The game's lost, Ming! Stop your attack on Earth and I'll spare your life!
The Emperor Ming : You pitiful fool! My life is not for any Earthling to give or take!
[Ming attempts to hold back Flash with the power of his ring. Flash approaches unaffected and menaces Ming with his sword. Ming cowers]
Flash Gordon : Your power is fading, Ming!
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Klytus : Now, the tributes from Ardentia.
Prince Thun : We, the people of Ardentia... We have suffered, since you blasted our kingdom. I can offer you nothing, this year, except my loyalty.
Klytus : Prince Thun, we prize nothing more highly. And tell us... How great is this loyalty to your Emperor?
Prince Thun : Without measure.
The Emperor Ming : We are delighted to hear it. Fall on your sword.
The Emperor Ming : Show us this loyalty. Throw yourself onto your sword.
Prince Thun : [unsheathes his sword] Let this deed of Ardentia's Prince be an example to all the kingdoms of Mongo!
[Thun whirls to assassinate the Emperor]
Prince Thun : DEATH TO MING!
[the Prince is frozen in his tracks by an energy-beam from Ming's servant]
The Emperor Ming : [DELETED LINE] Now, let this deed of Mongo's Emperor be an example to all its kingdoms.
[He takes Thun's sword and fatally disembowels him with it. Dale winces]
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[from trailer]
The Emperor Ming : Pathetic Earthlings! Who can save you now?
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The Emperor Ming : Did you enjoy yourselves in Sibaria? I understand you flew the doctor there last week. Klytus kindly fed me the information.
Princess Aura : Klytus? He wants me himself. His agents are always making up lies about me.
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Princess Aura : Don't kill him yet, Father. l want him. Give him to me.
The Emperor Ming : What would your Prince Barin say?
Princess Aura : l can handle Barin. Please...
The Emperor Ming : Really, Aura. Your appetites are too dangerous.
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Klytus : Execute her?
The Emperor Ming : No. Too kind. Aura will be banished to Frigia on the day after my wedding. One year in a cavern of ice will cool her blood. And then, who knows? Perhaps we will marry her to someone worthy of her treacherous nature.
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Flash Gordon : What about Dale?
The Emperor Ming : Dale. We have decided to marry her. She's exceptional. We will breed with her and send our Imperial progeny back to populate your Earth.
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Ming's Floating Servant : Halt, Lizard Man! Escape is impossible! Surrender!
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The Emperor Ming : Remove the Earth woman. Prepare her for our pleasure!
